Patents by Inventor Chris Hickman

Chris Hickman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9523967
    Abstract: Data comprising a request specifying a desired change in electrical load for a defined period of time is received. The electrical load is associated with a plurality of resources under control of resource agents and on a utility grid. Available capacity of resources within the control of each resource agent over the defined period of time is determined. Each available capacity is determined at least using a resource load model. Using the determined available capacity of resources over the defined period of time, resource scheduling instructions are calculated for a subset of resources. The resource scheduling instructions satisfy the desired change in electrical load of the request. Data characterizing the resource scheduling instructions is provided. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and articles are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: INNOVARI, INC.
    Inventors: Loran Friedrich, Eric Pierce, Jason Hill, James Tillett, David Walden, Laura V. Raymond, Chris Hickman, Phong Do
  • Publication number: 20160363950
    Abstract: The subject matter described herein relates to the organized measurement, dispatch and/or control of disparate and distributed resources along the length of and at the ends of the electrical grid. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and articles are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Loran Friedrich, David Walden, Chris Hickman, Robin Jensen Lunt, Jason Hill, Eric Pierce, Nathan Ronald Ortega, Phong Do, James Tillett
  • Patent number: 9454141
    Abstract: Systems are described that provide monitoring for control, measurement and verification of demand side management resources. Control units deployed among customer or utility premises can monitor capacity as real or reactive power that is consumed, generated or stored by resources and, in some cases, selectively alter the load consumed or energy delivered by some or all of such resources derived from load capacity and dispatch models. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INNOVARI, INC.
    Inventors: Loran Friedrich, David Walden, Chris Hickman, Laura V. Raymond, James Tillett, Eric Pierce, John Whalen
  • Publication number: 20150355650
    Abstract: Systems are described that provide monitoring for control, measurement and verification of demand side management resources. Control units deployed among customer or utility premises can monitor capacity as real or reactive power that is consumed, generated or stored by resources and, in some cases, selectively alter the load consumed or energy delivered by some or all of such resources derived from load capacity and dispatch models. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Loran Friedrich, David Walden, Chris Hickman, Laura V. Raymond, James Tillett, Eric Pierce, John Whalen
  • Publication number: 20140222238
    Abstract: Data comprising a request specifying a desired change in electrical load for a defined period of time is received. The electrical load is associated with a plurality of resources under control of resource agents and on a utility grid. Available capacity of resources within the control of each resource agent over the defined period of time is determined. Each available capacity is determined at least using a resource load model. Using the determined available capacity of resources over the defined period of time, resource scheduling instructions are calculated for a subset of resources. The resource scheduling instructions satisfy the desired change in electrical load of the request. Data characterizing the resource scheduling instructions is provided. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and articles are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: INNOVARI, INC.
    Inventors: Loran Friedrich, Eric Pierce, Jason Hill, James Tillett, David Walden, Laura V. Raymond, Chris Hickman, Phong Do
  • Patent number: 8761953
    Abstract: Data comprising a request specifying a desired change in electrical load for a defined period of time is received. The electrical load is associated with a plurality of resources under control of resource agents and on a utility grid. Available capacity of resources within the control of each resource agent over the defined period of time is determined. Each available capacity is determined at least using a resource load model. Using the determined available capacity of resources over the defined period of time, resource scheduling instructions are calculated for a subset of resources. The resource scheduling instructions satisfy the desired change in electrical load of the request. Data characterizing the resource scheduling instructions is provided. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and articles are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Innovari, Inc.
    Inventors: Loran Friedrich, Eric Pierce, Jason Hill, James Tillett, Dave Walden, Laura Raymond, Chris Hickman, Phong Do
  • Publication number: 20130289772
    Abstract: Data comprising a request specifying a desired change in electrical load for a defined period of time is received. The electrical load is associated with a plurality of resources under control of resource agents and on a utility grid. Available capacity of resources within the control of each resource agent over the defined period of time is determined. Each available capacity is determined at least using a resource load model. Using the determined available capacity of resources over the defined period of time, resource scheduling instructions are calculated for a subset of resources. The resource scheduling instructions satisfy the desired change in electrical load of the request. Data characterizing the resource scheduling instructions is provided. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and articles are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: INNOVARI, INC.
    Inventors: Loran Friedrich, Eric Pierce, Jason Hill, James Tillett, Dave Walden, Laura Raymond, Chris Hickman, Phong Do
  • Patent number: 6912487
    Abstract: A system and method provide a computer-based automated tool for quickly and efficiently designing utility stations. One example of such a utility station is a unit substation. The tool includes a database of user-selective predrawn symbols that are associated with a pre-defined and stored station template. Each of the respective symbols have associated therewith attributes that are computer recognizable as being attributes associated with the respective symbols, and may be combined into a list, when the symbols are selected for use with the station. The tool presents a graphical rendering of the symbols arranged on the station, after the respective symbols have been identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Public Service Company of New Mexico
    Inventors: Gathen Garcia, Gene Wolf, Chris Hickman
  • Publication number: 20050125204
    Abstract: A system and method provide a computer-based automated tool for quickly and efficiently designing utility stations. One example of such a utility station is a unit substation. The tool includes a database of user-selective predrawn symbols that are associated with a pre-defined and stored station template. Each of the respective symbols have associated therewith attributes that are computer recognizable as being attributes associated with the respective symbols, and may be combined into a list, when the symbols are selected for use with the station. The tool presents a graphical rendering of the symbols arranged on the station, after the respective symbols have been identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Publication date: June 9, 2005
    Applicant: PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO
    Inventors: Gathen Garcia, Gene Wolf, Chris Hickman
  • Patent number: 6895373
    Abstract: A system and method provide a computer-based automated tool for quickly and efficiently designing utility stations. One example of such a utility station is a unit substation. The tool includes a database of user-selective predrawn symbols that are associated with a pre-defined and stored station template. Each of the respective symbols have associated therewith attributes that are computer recognizable as being attributes associated with the respective symbols, and may be combined into a list, when the symbols are selected for use with the station. The tool presents a graphical rendering of the symbols arranged on the station, after the respective symbols have been identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Public Service Company of New Mexico
    Inventors: Gathen Garcia, Gene Wolf, Chris Hickman
  • Patent number: 6829610
    Abstract: A massively scalable architecture for providing a highly reliable storage system that is capable of handling hundreds of millions of users and tens of billions of files. The system includes one or more clusters storing data elements that are received from a plurality of clients. Each cluster comprises a plurality of storage servers. Each storage server maintains one or more indexes for responding to simple read requests such as retrieving a designated element. According to the invention, the storage system includes one or more database clusters each database cluster having one or more database servers. The storage system accesses the storage clusters in order to reply to simple read requests; however, the database clusters are used to resolve more complex queries that are based on attributes of elements stored within the storage system. In one configuration, the storage system includes a database cluster for each class of applications accessing the storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Chris Hickman, Marco A. DeMello
  • Patent number: 6564252
    Abstract: A massively scalable architecture for providing a highly reliable storage system that is capable of handling hundreds of millions of users and tens of billions of files. The system includes one or more clusters storing data elements that are received from a plurality of clients. Each cluster comprises a plurality of storage servers. A partition master assigns each client a unique partition within one of the clusters such that each data element is stored in the partition assigned to the client. The storage system can be easily scaled as the number of reads increases by adding individual storage servers to each storage cluster. In addition, the storage system easily scales to handle an increase in the number of writes, or as the number of files per cluster exceeds a predefined limit, by adding new storage clusters to the storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Chris Hickman, Alok K. Sinha, Marco A. DeMello
  • Patent number: 6523130
    Abstract: A massively scalable architecture for providing a self-monitoring and self-correcting storage system that is capable of handling hundreds of millions of users and tens of billions of files. The system includes one or more clusters storing data elements that are received from a plurality of clients. Each cluster comprises a plurality of storage servers. The storage system facilitates the addition of new storage servers, and the fast recovery of failed storage servers, by logging system transactions in multiple journals of different lengths. When a storage server fails, a cluster backup determines the time of failure and replays one of the journals in order to bring the failed storage server up to date.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Chris Hickman, Marco A. DeMello
  • Patent number: 6393466
    Abstract: A massively scalable architecture has been developed for providing an extensible storage system that is capable of handling hundreds of millions of users and tens of billions of files. The storage system includes to a plurality of storage clusters, each storage cluster having one or more storage servers. Each storage element has a corresponding schema object that is used to parse the data elements into data and attributes. Applications executing on the web servers are able to dynamically define a new type of element for storage within storage system. In one configuration the schemas are defined in Extensible Markup Language (XML).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Chris Hickman, Marco A. DeMello
  • Publication number: 20020042696
    Abstract: A system and method provide a computer-based automated tool for quickly and efficiently designing utility stations. One example of such a utility station is a unit substation. The tool includes a database of user-selective predrawn symbols that are associated with a pre-defined and stored station template. Each of the respective symbols have associated therewith attributes that are computer recognizable as being attributes associated with the respective symbols, and may be combined into a list, when the symbols are selected for use with the station. The tool presents a graphical rendering of the symbols arranged on the station, after the respective symbols have been identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Applicant: PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO
    Inventors: Gathen Garcia, Gene Wolf, Chris Hickman